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Pelham groups welcome home Honor Flight veterans

BIRMINGHAM – Members of the Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge and the Pelham Honor Guard welcomed home 68 World War II veterans Thursday as part of an Honor Flight Birmingham trip.

Honor Flight Birmingham is an organization that takes WWII veterans to see the WWII memorial in Washington, D.C., at no cost.

Thursday’s flight left Birmingham at 7:30 a.m. and returned at 7:30 p.m. to a crowd of hundreds who had gathered to welcome the veterans home.

Linda Dennis of the Cahaba Valley Elks was among those who welcomed the veterans back, as the members gave each veteran an American flag once they arrived back in Birmingham.

“We support anything that is pro-American. We’re very patriotic, we believe in Americanism, respect for America and love for America,” Dennis said. “The veterans, especially the older ones, just don’t get the respect they deserve, especially for what they gave up.”

Honor Flight Birmingham Co-director Pam Nichols said the warm welcome is just perfect ending for a much-deserved day for the veterans.

“They all say to me, ‘we can’t believe people care anymore,’” Nichols said. “They’re just overwhelmed to get that kind of greeting.”

In addition to seeing the WWII monument Thursday, the veterans also got to see Arlington and were visited by former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Bob Doyle, Alabama U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions and Alabama U.S. Reps. Spencer Bachus and Robert Aderholt.

“This means a great deal to them,” Nichols said. “They made a tremendous sacrifice.”